More specifically, the next hike I went on after that which saw me finally conquer the formidable -- to the likes of me anyways! -- twin peaks of The Twins took two friends and me to Sai Kung West Country Park. The Tai Tan Country Trail -- which should not be confused with the Tai Tam Country Trail on Hong Kong Island -- skirts along a scenic section of coast, sometimes at sea level and sometimes at somewhat higher ground. So yes, it's one of those hikes that I think deserves not just one but at least two (maybe even three!) photo-essays worth of coverage on this blog...

Shortly after passing through the wooden archwayannouncing the start of this official hiking trail,I was getting the feeling that this would be a hikeoffering plenty of aesthetically-pleasing scenes and sights

Early on in the hike, one could hear the restful sounds ofHau Tong Kai stream's flowing waters as one traipsed along

Many Hong Kong hikes pass through abandoned villagesbut this one passed through a still inhabited onewith houses that look very nice(ly kept up) indeed

This home made not be as recently paintedas the ones in the above photobut I think it still definitely has its charms

Minutes away from a village, a resting feral cow gives proof that it's not just humans who havemadethis neck of the Hong Kong woods home :b

Call me namby-pamby but it's nice to havethose laid out stones to step on as one passesthrough land that can otherwise be on the wet side!

And yeah, those describing of this hiking trail as a coastal trail really weren't kidding!

Heheh, good spot! Yeah, I get the feeling too that building's interior has been left to be the home of plants -- yet is also being utilised by humans in terms of its... how would you call it -- porch area? :b